Germans Go To The Polls In A Critical State Election

DW: Merkel's CDU faces off against ruling SPD in key German state election

Voters in Germany's most populous state have been casting their ballots in a key vote ahead of September's national election. It's set to be a tight race between Chancellor Merkel's CDU and their ruling rivals, the SPD.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) are hoping to unseat North Rhine Westphalia's ruling Social Democrats (SPD) in a regional parliament election on Sunday.

Voter turnout was markedly higher than four years prior, officials said. By noon (1000 GMT), 34 percent of eligible voters had already cast their ballots - up from 29 percent at the same time during the last state election in 2012.

Over 13 million of NRW's 18 million residents are eligible to vote in Sunday's election - the most registered voters than any other German state. The SPD currently rules in coalition with the Greens who have been doing poorly in recent polls.

Prior to Sunday's vote, the CDU was polling at 32 percent, one point ahead of the SPD.

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